A group of unidentified people vandalised Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace at Nandigiridhama in Chikkaballapur, Karnataka. The miscreants carved the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi on the walls of the historic monument, damaging the centuries-old structure.
Surprisingly, the vandalism remained unnoticed for several days despite the site being managed by the tourism, horticulture and district police departments. The damage was noticed only after visitors spotted the carvings and shared pictures of them, according to a report by Bangalore Mirror.
Non-functional CCTV raises security concerns
CCTV cameras are placed at the heritage site but shockingly none of them are working. “There are cameras but they are not functional, but it is unclear how anyone climbed up and defaced the wall without being noticed,” the outlet reported citing sources.
The Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, situated near Amrita Sarovara at the entrance of Nandi Hills, is a restricted zone with no public access allowed. However, the recent vandalism indicates that some individuals managed to reach the terrace of the two-storey building without being noticed.
Locals express anger and demand action
The act has been strongly condemned by locals and heritage lovers, who called it a shameful attack on India’s cultural history. Many visitors demanded that authorities catch and punish those responsible.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which oversees the site, is expected to inspect the damage. Officials have also announced an inquiry into the case, as questions grow over the lack of security at India’s protected heritage monuments.
Responding to the incident, a police official told the outlet, “We were not aware of this case. There are many monkeys in the area, and we usually repair the CCTV cameras once every 15 days since they often get damaged.”
Adding to it the official mentioned, “Immediate steps would be taken to fix and restore the cameras to working condition”.
